How to write a good poem

"I think the most important thing any poet or writer can do to improve his or her odds of writing a good poem of any type is to learn continuously how to pay attention.

Poetry is not about how we feel, of course. It's about how we feel about how we feel. Knowing how we feel about how we feel requires an almost ungodly attentiveness or consciousness— an otherworldly watchfulness and vigilance."

— Adrian Blevins
from How to Write Love Poems